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The city of Tempe, Arizona has recently amended some of its fire codes regulations to enable them to be at par with the 2006 international fire code laws. Specifically, when it comes to the new Tempe, Arizona fire codes and how they pertain to exit devices, below are some of the most notable amendments which have been enacted, thanks to tempelocksmithpros.com.

Door, gates and turnstiles

The whole of section 1008 of the new city of Tempe fire codes primarily dwell on the recommended features and functions of exit doors, gate and turnstiles. To begin with, a floor elevation is mandatorily on either side of the exit door, both featuring a similar elevation height. Nonetheless, there are several exceptions to this guideline. For instance, exit doors that serve dwelling units in group R-1 and R-2 buildings (hotels and residential units with 2 sleeping units respectively) are not affected by this law.

In such buildings, an exit door is allowed to open at the topmost step of an interior flight of stairs. That is as long as this exit door can swing easily over the topmost step of such a flight of stairs. Additionally, in such buildings, storm door and screen doors are also permissible if they can swing over the stairs or landing. Houses with external decks, patios or even balconies are also excluded from this given guideline of the Tempe, Arizona fire codes rule. Most especially if they are features of a type B (lowest building fire hazard level). In such units, an impervious surface, which is less than 4” beneath the finished floor level of an adjacent interior area is allowable. That is as long as the exit door (excluding storm or screen doors) doesn’t swing over the landing when opened.

Locks and latches

Section 1008. of the new city of Tempe, Arizona fire codes dwells on the locks and latches that can be equipped to exit devices. According to this regulation, locks and latches are permissible when they can be in a position of preventing the operations of such devices in the following circumstances. First of all, buildings that are used for correction or detention of convicts such as jails or penitentiaries. Buildings which are categorized as occupancy group A (moderate fire hazard level) with occupancy of three hundred or below. Group B, F, M and S (moderate to lowest risk of fire hazards) and also places of worship like churches. In the latter category, these kinds of building are allowed by the new guidelines to be fitted with key lockable exit devices, which are positioned on the egress side.

On the other hand, in the cases where egress doors happen to be utilized in pairs, approved automatic flush bolts are also permissible. That is as long as the given door leaf that bears the automatic flush bolts does not come with a door knob or any surface mounted hardware.

At the same time, group R, division 3 occupancy as well as individual dwelling units and guestrooms are also mentioned by the new Tempe, Arizona fire codes. The exit doors of these given buildings are now required by the law to be fitted with night latches, keyed deadbolts or even security chains. The only stipulation for equipping the exit doors with these devices is that they can be conveniently from the interior part of the building without having to use a tool.

Finally, the section 1008 of the amended Tempe city fire codes has now made it mandatory for an easily readable and durable signage to be posted on the egress side close to the exit doors. Such a sign must clearly state “This door is to remain unlocked whenever this building is occupied.”

Exit discharge

The section 1024 of the amended city of Tempe, Arizona fire codes, for the most part, offers guidelines on the right exit discharges building ought to have. Such exit discharges should offer a direct and unobstructed access to a public way. In the event where this is not possible, a safe dispersal region must be allocated on such properties.

This dispersal region should be able to accommodate not less than five square feet for each individual in the event of a fire outbreak. At the same time, it should also be located within the same property, and not more than fifty feet away from the building, which might need egress. Finally, such a dispersal region should come with a safe and unobstructed path from the building in question.

Most buildings all over the world are inspected yearly to ensure that they comply with the set standards in terms of safety and more. After thorough inspection, fire department provides you with a full report to help you make the necessary corrections if any. However, such inspections vary from one state to the other and therefore it is essential to understand the fire codes of your state before you commence your construction. Note that codes remind you of the things that should be met and the kind of exit devices, fire-alarm system, and fire sprinkler system to be installed.
Before you install the above systems, it is prudent to involve a specialist who understands how to install the needed systems properly.Resources:www.tigardlocksmith.orggrainger.comhomedepot.com

Exit Devices

They are also known as panic device, push bar or panic bar. These devices are used for unlocking the door during emergency situations. Today, each and every building should comply with the building codes, which make sure that every public building has at least one exit device. Fortunately, crash bar can be installed in a wide range of door types as a way to save lives in the event of fire, stampedes, terrorism attack and more. It has been found that panic can occur in situations of fire or explosions making the rescue process a bit tricky, but with exit devices, evacuations will be far much easy.

A door designated for exit does not have a handle on the outside. This feature makes sure that your home is secure. However, some doors meant for exit have been fitted with handles on the outside and inside as well. Such doors can be opened freely from either side allowing occupants to enter or exit the building with a lot of easy.

Factors to Consider when Installing Panic Devices

Ease of Installation

Always choose the panic bars that are easy to install, repair and inexpensive to replace. For instance, a crossbar rim device the easiest to assemble. If you do not like crossbar, you may consider using push pad rim device, which is also the simplest to work with and needs no or little maintenance. Pad rim devices are suitable for buildings with high-traffic.

Safety

When installing an exit device, you should bear in mind the safety of your loved ones. A good panic device should comply with ANSI Grade 1 standards. In other words, devices should be designed in such a way that they can tolerate forced entry.

Available Options

Panic devices come in a wide range of options. As a result, you should choose the option that suits your safety needs. Many people prefer using cross bar devices due to the fact they offer incredible architectural finishing as well as available in a variety of colors.

Applications of Exit Devices

In general, panic bars are commonly used in care centers, learning institutions, retail stores, hospitals offices and more. These devices play a role in ensuring that the work place is secure and safe.

Types

The common types include: multi-point, rim, cable, touchpad, recessed, crossbar and mortise exit devices respectively. All these types comply with building codes while enhancing the safety of your property. In addition, they match different door types since they come in different shapes and colors.

Fire Codes

Fire safety codes complement the building code. Generally, fire codes play an important role in preventing fires and make sure that the original plan of a structure is not compromised at all. These codes vary from state to state.
To comply with life safety codes, you should install exit devices in particular cases. These codes forbid the use of locks that may confuse or compromise the safety of the user. To enhance safety, fire devices should be self-latching in event of fire. Apart from being self-latching, fire doors should be able to close to prevent fire from spreading.
In most households, security, life safety and fire can be a day-to-day challenge. Some homeowners view security as a major concern and therefore end up securing their homes with unauthorized locks, which may pose risks to users in case of an emergency. It is advisable to go for an option that satisfies both concerns: life safety and security. Feel free to talk to fire inspector to help you through exit devices and their fire codes, so as to make an informed decision at the end of the day. This way, you will be able to make your home safe and secure for all.

Exit devices have become an indispensable part of life. Using these devices, one can easily open the doors from inside as they allow the doors to swing towards the direction people are exiting to. This gives more room to the people to move. Consequently, they help people to escape from fire as well as other mishaps that might occur in a work or house premises. Exit devices do not block the person who opens the door. This is extremely helpful in case of emergencies. Because of these devices, people don’t have a hard time to open the door. These devices are ideal in preventing people from hurting themselves whenever there is an emergency. However, for you to get the most ideal services from exit devices, you need to hire locksmith experts to install and maintain them. Here are various reasons why you should use a locksmith to install exit devices, thanks to the guys over at www.evkeys.net:

Security for your infrastructure: For building your business infrastructure you have to invest an enormous sum of money. After a massive investment, it becomes critical for you to protect the valuable structure from man-made disasters like thefts. You have to take advantages of the security services provided by professional organizations like locksmiths London.

Proper surveillance and maintenance of the exit devices: Along with the structure, it is equally important for a business to keep its valuable and sensitive information and documents safe from thieves and competitors. So your business needs a comprehensive security network designed and maintained by experienced professionals. The security system should be designed in such a way that it must simultaneously protect your valuable business premises as well as valuable documents and information. By engaging a professional locksmith for taking care of your security concerns you can relax and stop worrying about the safety of the business once you have left the office.

Advanced security techniques: Similar to other fields, the security techniques used in exit devices have also advanced much along with the advancement of technology. From the old security systems using locks the exit devices systems have improved till the usage of codes and CCTV cameras. These modern security techniques can track and provide protection to each of the activities taking place inside your business premises. By hiring locksmiths with their experience and expertise in security techniques understand the complete security requirement for your company and install a comprehensive system accordingly.

Complete security plan: Locksmith experts make a detailed and well-devised plan to secure your premises from the entry and exit doors to the safes and drawers along with proper management. After discussing the plan with you, the company can accurately implement it to safeguard all aspects of your business premises. Along with properly installed monitoring CCTV cameras, you can get a complete picture of your premises and install an advanced alarm system to strengthen your security.

Aspects of the business security system: Locksmiths take into consideration all important security aspects of managing a security system efficiently and installs the security system accordingly. After installing the security systems all around your business premises, it becomes more necessary to manage the installed security system in a more efficient manner. As you may also want to restrict all or some of your employees from accessing some particular parts of the business premises, the exit devices security system has to be designed accordingly. Only a locksmith company that has the required experience and expertise can offer you effective solutions for these restrictions and security.

Reliability of the exit devices security service provider: Security of business is one of your most serious concerns, and you have to use the services of an experienced professional locksmith. Normally, a locksmith company has the required expertise and experience in securing other businesses as they are duly insured and licensed. Also, you can trust the locksmith company that has been in the security business for a long time and has gathered enough experience over the years. As your local agency, the company can help in whenever security is required.

Locksmiths provide security installation and maintenance solutions to different types of commercial buildings. For a modern business, it is equally important to safeguard its sensitive documents and information of the enterprise just like other valuable properties. You need to hire professional security providers for building and maintaining a comprehensive exit devices security system for your business to keep it safe.

Adding an emergency exit bar is an excellent safety feature as it bypasses door locks thereby providing you with an instant exit pathway in the event of an emergency. Panic/ emergency bars are designed to permit exit irrespective of the lock system installed in an emergency door. Commonly, these bars are installed on doors labeled “Fire Exit/Door”. Most of these bars come with an inbuilt alarm so that once the door is opened, an alarm is triggered. Depending on the type of bar you are using, there are some that are set in a way such that once the alarm is triggered, all the other emergency exits open automatically.Resources:www.beverlyhillslocksmith.orgus.allegion.comdorma.com

Whether you are shopping for an emergency exit bar for use at home or in your office, there are some shopping tips you need to consider for you to buy the best quality bars. These tips include:

Meeting the set safety requirements

Depending on where you live, there are some safety requirements for emergency exit bars put in place by the relevant authorities. Most of these requirements aim at ensuring that the bars are up to the mark as far as functionality and efficiency are concerned. For instance, in the USA, it is required that these bars can be opened by anyone from indoors without requiring a key. This is because of the reason that in most emergencies, there is usually very little time to get out to safety. The hardware in the bar should be certified and bear a mark of quality as a guarantee of the reliability of the bars.

Compatibility with security systems

Emergency exit bar hardware systems should be compatible with existing security systems in the doors that they are being installed on. These security systems include fire alarm systems and auto-lock security systems. The compatibility of bar hardware systems with other security systems is very important so that in the event of an emergency, neither of the systems fails due to one system overriding the other. An exit bar hardware that is not compatible with other security systems can cause a serious security problem in case the hardware fails to work during an emergency. You can end up remaining trapped in the house or office.

Type of bars

Emergency exit bars come in different dimensions and specifications with different features. The common types are long bar styles (common in large retailers like supermarkets and banking halls) and small lever bar styles (found in homes and small & medium sized offices). Before making any purchase of these bars, be sure to measure the size dimensions of your door so that you purchase a fitting bar.

Self installation- Can you install the bar you want to purchase on your own?

Unless you are experienced in handling emergency exit bars, then you will most likely need professional help in purchasing and installing these bars. Despite these bars not being complicated to install, you may need to hire an expert to install the bar for you especially if there are other security systems on the door. However, if there are no other systems in the door, then you can install the bars by yourself as you only require drilling in screws and reinforcing the bar to the door.

Affordability

When shopping for the best emergency exit bars, it is important to ensure that you consider the cost of each type of bar. There are some bars that are very expensive while others are relatively affordable. While the best quality bars cost an upward of $300, there are other cheaper bars that cost as little as $100. When considering the cost of these bars, it is important to be very careful so that you do not settle for a low quality bar that will most likely be inefficient and unreliable.

Insurable emergency exit bars

Always ensure that the emergency exit bar you want to purchase is insurable. Such bars are a great choice in that in the event of any security breach due to the failure of the bar, you will receive compensation. However, insurance companies only insure the best quality bars as such bars are not only efficient but also their likelihood to fail is next to zero.

Tragedies such as the Colorado theater shootings and the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary could have been more fatal if there were no emergency exit bars installed on the doors. These bars provide a faster and more effective exit avenue for people to use in the event of an unexpected emergency such as a shooting. It is important to note that not all emergency situations require people to remain calm. Others like shootings require quick action as any delays can lead to death.

The function of exit bar can be clearly understood from its name. As the name suggests, the bar allows a safe exit for the home businesses, hospitals, and other vital installations at the time of emergency. With this exit bar, there is no need to break or open the lock as you can easily bypass the lock. This is all about the function of an exit bar. In general, people hire locksmiths to install exit bar on their doors. Thanks to the guys over at sunlakeslocksmith.com, this article gives answer to the question “can I install an exit bar myself?”

Questions that you must ask yourself before planning to install an exit bar yourself

Before planning to install an exit bar by yourself, you must calculate or know about the traffic that the exit bar is going to handle. It may be heavy, medium or low. Then coming to set up, you should be sure about installing a dual or single set up. You should determine whether you are going to use the exit door for entry purposes or not. You should check whether you should be careful about the hardware finish or the color pattern of the exit bar. Finally, you should decide whether you are going to add lock or alarm on the door where you are going to install an exit bar.

You should follow the standards as prescribed by Department of labor and occupational safety and health administration

You need to abide by the OSHA standards if you are going to install an exit bar in a segregated commercial building. As per the OSHA standards, all such installations need to have exit doors. The doors should be enabled with exit mechanism which can be opened by everybody without using the lock. Apart from all these standard requirements, the hardware of exit bar should meet the ANSI requirements. It is quite easy to get standard grade hardware for your exit bar. Most of the companies manufacture products that match with the prescribed standards of the American National Standards Institute.

Different exit bars available and self-installation guide

Generally the type of exit bar that you are going to use is dependent on the measurements of your door. Before you go shopping you should measure your door size.

What are you going to need for self-installation of an exit bar?

* A measurement tape

* Hacksaw

* Drill

* Exit bar

* Exit bar strike

* Hole saw

Installation steps

Step#1: Measurement of your door

For installing an exit bar, the measurement of door width is pretty important. Apart from that you need to measure the distance between the door stop on the face of the door till the location of the lock. You should pick an exit bar of length 1.5” less than the distance measured for operational convenience. The length of exit bars available in the market is of 3 to 4 feet. To fix the bar to your door, you need to cut the exit bar to fit your door.

Step#2: Trim and strike

Depending upon the function of your exit door, you can select the trim. Some people like to use their exit door for entry purposes. Most of the people use simple lever trim. You can choose a strike for your door depending upon the top of your door and the frame.

Step#3: Start boring holes on your door

Strike templates give you direction about where you are going to install the exit bar on your door. You need to cut a hole on if you are going to use the door for entry purpose too. The main purpose of using hole saw is to make a hole for accommodating the cylinder. With the help of the drill, you can make holes n your door as shown on the template.

Step#4: Fastening the exit bar

Now it is time to put the exit bar in the door and fasten it with the help of screws and thru-bolts. Then you should put the end caps on the screws so that the panic bar doesn’t fall off. You can install the trip and cylinders on your exit bar to make sure you can enter from outside.

Step#5: Check how your exit bar works

You need to fasten the strike to check whether the exit bar works or not. You may need to adjust the strike time and again to make your exit bar work properly.

Conclusion

The article provides you the entire information regarding installation of an exit bar. If you fail to implement the methods mentioned above, you must call the locksmiths without wasting much time.